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Music Monday: Various takes on love edition

Love isn’t always of the romantic kind – and it’s not always kind, or loving, at all.

“Lay All Your Love on Me” is by ABBA, but here’s the version from Mamma Mia. ABBA lyrics here. Sophie and Sky frolic on a beach. They’re joined by a dancing group of his friends. The scene changes to Sophie’s hen’s night.

I’ve been wanting to write about this song for about eighteen months now, but never really had enough for a full post. Falling in love here is helpless, incomprehensible, scary, and a matter of one partner being dominated by a possessive person who will leave them without pride. It’s a bizarre and all too normalised brand of jealous monogamy.

“Don’t You Want Me” was originally by Human League, but I actually prefer the Glee version (!), so here that is. Human League lyrics here. The video is a fan-created one, a series of pictures of Rachel and Blaine, who are singing it.

“You don’t want me? It’s too late for that. I’m going to ruin your career and make us both sorry!” Yet she still loves him. If you’re wanting to destroy someone for love, you think this is justifiable, and you can still conceive of what you are feeling as love, you (and your society) need some new models for love.

A more positive song now. “Light” by Darren Hayes is a favourite of mine. Darren Hayes lyrics here. Another fan-created video, this one has pictures of various kinds of lights.

I think Darren wrote this song when, during a bad time, he learned that his best friend was pregnant. Love is transformative and blistering and the light to follow, and it will change your world absolutely.

“Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro is the most recent one of this collection. Sam Sparro lyrics here. Another fan-created video, featuring gold lyrics on a black background, and sometimes stars flashing different colours.

I remember when this came out in 2008 and was a huge hit, and we were all wondering what it was about. It turned out that Sam was a friend’s friend’s cousin (or something) and he said it was about his Christian belief. That totally changed how I understood the song, although in retrospect it seems quite obvious when one reads the lyrics! It’s all striving for faith, and the immense pain engendered by simultaneously doubting and loving. It’s beautiful.

Got any more love songs that work in unorthodox (or all too orthodox) ways?

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9 thoughts on “Music Monday: Various takes on love edition”

I very rarely pay attention to the lyrics of songs and find that when I do, I really can’t relate to anything going on. Sentiments about love in popular music just seem to leave me asking why people continue to put themselves through everything they sing about. It all seems to be about so much angst and pain and suffering. I haven’t managed to find a song about a queer-asexual-aromantic relationship yet!

This may or may not be actually contributing to your post. I’ll let you decide. Although I have to say that “Don’t you want me” gets so stuck in your head that you’re humming it for days.

I think that “Hello, It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren has possibly the most humane lyrics of any love song/loving song I’ve ever heard. He’s exploring the possibility that the relationship’s over, but completely acknowledging the other person’s humanity and their existing connection.

“It’s important to me/ that you know you are free/ ’cause I never want to make you change for me.”

Plus, bonus video of him in a RIDICULOUS AMAZING 70s glam outfit playing it on some show! :D

How about this one? It’s sung in German, and by a many with what I think must be contacts who is sort of conducting at the same time, so here are the lyrics… it’s about letting go, but it’s also about acknowledging a love which doesn’t follow the usual lovesexytimeheteronormative story…

Keep on lying next to me quietly, my dear
Dont be afraid
Im a friend
The one that speaks to you

Ive waited and hoped
That this moment maybe would never come
That it would simply pass by
Or maybe just never happen

You came to me
Before every first sound
When the sand glass seemed to never stop
You lived
You fought with me in every storm
Never longed for anything in return
You just gave it to me

You showed me what really counted
You spelled me a smile on my lips
With your peaceful glance
Without a single word
But full of love and life
You gave most of yourself to me

I look back
Onto a wonderful time
You were my future
And the cradle of my being
You fought
And shared every moment with me
Im proud that even now
Im still by your side

I catch an image of you
And close my eyes
And the rooms dont seem so empty anymore
I catch an image of you
And at this right moment
You stay as a possession of my thoughts
(Like the Angel) that the sky cant get back

I look back
Onto a wonderful time
You were my future
And the cradle of my being
You fought
And shared every moment with me
I am proud that even now
Im still by your side

I catch an image of you…

I let you go
And wish you all the luck in the world
At this right moment
You are the only thing that counts
Let yourself fall
And just rest
I will always be by your side.